Gerrit Cole returns to the mound on Friday for the first time since October 2024. 

The Yankees right-hander, who missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, will get a red-hot Rays offense that he’s all too familiar with. 

Cole has been working his way back since the spring, appearing in a pair of games in Arizona and making six starts at the minor league level before officially returning to the Bombers’ roster. 

He looked strong in his last time out, hitting 99 mph with his fastball and tossing 86 pitches, but it’s clear his stuff isn’t all the way back. 

Cole posted a 4.66 ERA in those minor league outings, allowing 28 hits and six home runs in just 29 innings.

It might be smart to fade the former Cy Young winner until he shows he can miss bats and limit damage at the Major League level again.

Cole has had trouble over the years with one of Tampa Bay’s biggest bats in particular: Yandy Díaz.

Pitcher Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a spring training game at Sloan Park on March 24, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. Getty Images

Díaz is having another strong season at the plate, slashing .316/.394/.506 with eight home runs heading into Friday’s play.

Those numbers look awfully similar to the damage he’s done against Cole, as Díaz has slashed .318/.375/.500 with a pair of homers in 45 career at-bats against the Yankees flamethrower.

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Díaz comes into this game hot, riding a six-game hit streak, including six knocks in his last two games. 

With Cole still getting his feet under him, Díaz could be primed for an ambush in the Bronx on Friday.

The play: Yandy Diaz to have more than 1.5 total bases (+145, BetRivers)

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Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.